What is the lesson of the Tower of Babel? At first glance, the answer seems simple enough; as in many tales, god strikes down those who sin the sin of hubris. In attempting to reach the heavens and take the divine mantle for themselves, the proud people of Babel learned a lesson, the lesson of divine uniqueness and prestige. But there are further lessons to be learned from the Tower…
One of the most exciting releases of the year, Detach The Island’s The Burden To Become Fact is one of the sleeper-hits of the year, blending the magical mayhem of chaotic post-violence with the stuttering, savage rhythmic battery of math metal. I’ve helped premiere music from the record and written…
For those who missed our last installment, We post bi-weekly updates covering what the staff at Heavy Blog have been spinning. Given the amount of time we spend on the site telling you about music that doesn’t fall neatly into the confines of conventional “metal,” it should come as no…
Editor’s Note: I’m glad to welcome longtime reader Remi VL as a regular guest contributor to our Release Day Roundup posts! He submitted several of the albums listed below. Join his Facebook group for more recommendations. -Scott Murphy Each month, we always seem to come to the same conclusion when…
Foscor exist in a space among metal that I have a lot of time for. Their music feels both modern and nostalgic at the same time. Like it could be from the early 00s, yet with the veneer of modern needle-pushing metal. This expression is often used for music that has intentionally lower-fi tones and production, but here it refers to the exceptional use of mood. They occupy a three-piece venn diagram somewhere between black metal, doom metal and progressive post-metal without entirely being any of them. Els Sepulcres Blancs takes from these several very strong, different, yet complimentary genres…
When last we checked in on Philadelphia four-piece Binary, a year and change ago, they had just released their debut…
I’m always on the hunt for more interesting atmospheric black metal. It’s a genre I can’t seem to get quiet…
It’s been five years since we last spoke about Wolves Like Us, a melodic hardcore band that’s been on a path of metamorphosis for a while now. Their previous release, 2014’s Black Soul Choir, presented a darker and cleaner version of their sound, creating an energetic and emotional album. Five years later, the band are gearing up for Brittle Bones, their next effort. The album features more grunge influences, especially on the vocals, injecting the album with a nostalgic and powerful air that reminds one of the Foo Fighters. We’re proud to partner with Pelagic to bring you the first…
Coming in scorching hot from sun-drenched, leather-skinned Pheonix today is Woundvac and their brand new EP, The Road Ahead. The…
I’m having trouble figuring out how to start this review on a note that fits with how I usually like…
Even the best tech-death has a tendency to become pretty overwhelming. As bands increasingly add more notes and elements to their repertoire, in an attempt to push the bounds of extremity and technicality, the central textures of their compositions often becomes obscured. The genre works best when bands strike the balance between technicality and listenability just right, which is exactly what The Ritual Aura have done on their new album, Velothi. Velothi is also one of the most varied examples of technical death metal to have emerged in some time. The album begins with a piano intro – courtesy of…
Sidian might not be a household name in the thriving North American prog and technical death metal scene dominated by…
With my current schedule being as tight as it is, there has to be something compelling about a release to…
Death metal has a penchant for being fairly on the nose with its band names. Hate Eternal, Carcass, Autopsy, and, you know… Death. Pretty fitting for the type of music and lyrical content these bands so emphatically espouse. Spain’s Come Back from the Dead continue this age-old tradition with music to match. Peddling a particularly nasty and at times downright vicious brand of old school death metal with just a hint of Swedish influence, their debut album The Coffin Earth’s Entrails was loud enough to raise an army of the undead, causing tectonic-level shifts through the almighty power of the…
